The Secret Code of Society. Why Some States Thrive While Others Descend into Chaos

This book — is about the rules that govern societies. About how formal laws and informal customs intertwine, creating strong or fragile institutions. It explains why some communities thrive while others descend into chaos, how mutual monitoring, the legitimacy of collective decisions work, and why civil wars — are merely an extreme case of institutional choice.

The book is about how the «invisible fabric» of society is structured. It is a journey into the world of norms, rules, and institutions — from family traditions to global politics. It includes examples from history, metaphors from everyday life, and an analysis of contemporary issues. Tatyana Montyan shows that it is institutions, not heroes or coincidences, that determine the fates of people and nations.

Laws can be repealed, walls can be destroyed, states can be erased from the map. But institutions remain — they are embedded in the habits, norms, and expectations of people. The author discusses how they are born and die, how they can be strengthened or destroyed, and why the future of each of us depends on them.